Obviously some believe all adults are responsible people and can make responsible choices. Therefore if this is fact we should not have any form of laws at all for persons over 18 years of age. Just make every activity an adult engages in legal even murder and we will have no crime or criminals and no need to spend money on police investigations. Supplying drugs that cause a death could be ignored and no need of police investigation.

Big Savings on the Public purse.

Obviously someone has been on drugs too long their thought processes have been affected.

*PALE,
Thanks, interesting story. Do you know the name of that island? I’m curious to find out the details. *

Celivia
No I don’t recall. I have often tried to because I have mentioned the place in Greece many times when talking about drug abuse and crime.

Theo would be long gone by now. Old Crime Boss from down South.
I first met him when he had a problem with one of his night clubs and asked my company( at the time) to help. Two blokes died in one of his night clubs from stabbings. Reckoned it was bad for his restaurants reputation which was just upstairs. Hilarious but that was Theo.

Deep down he was really shattered that someone died in his place and I suspected he was quietly deeply religious. It shook him up a fair bit and those who knew him best said he was never the same after that.
Some people you never forget and he is such a person in my life. I still recall to this day the way in which he described that Island. He would learn on his car and star into the mountains at 2am in the freezing cold just telling stories of Greece and Drugs and police and how they solved their own problems and how the cops and polys would come and ask for help from time to time.
You would be frozen just standing their listening to his descriptions of the users the dealers and their families.

One thing he said all those years ago was welfare payments should not be paid direct to people to buy grog and drugs. It should be given to their landlords and food stores and petrol stations on their behalf.
I agree with that one hundred percent.
These users get their welfare and go out and buy a hit or grog with our hard earned money then come back asking Church organizations for food.
Its stupid and ought to be changed.

Nice to see you on OLO again
PS de criminalize drugs is the answer and shake off the dealers

*PALE,
Thanks, interesting story. Do you know the name of that island? I’m curious to find out the details. *

Celivia
No I don’t recall. I have often tried to because I have mentioned the place in Greece many times when talking about drug abuse and crime.

Theo would be long gone by now. Old Crime Boss from down South.
I first met him when he had a problem with one of his night clubs and asked my company( at the time) to help. Two blokes died in one of his night clubs from stabbings. Reckoned it was bad for his restaurants reputation which was just upstairs. Hilarious but that was Theo.

Deep down he was really shattered that someone died in his place and I suspected he was quietly deeply religious. It shook him up a fair bit and those who knew him best said he was never the same after that.
Some people you never forget and he is such a person in my life. I still recall to this day the way in which he described that Island. He would lean on his car and star into the mountains at 2am in the freezing cold just telling stories of Greece and Drugs and police and how they solved their own problems and how the cops and polys would come and ask for help from time to time.
You would be frozen just standing their listening to his descriptions of the users the dealers and their families.

One thing he said all those years ago was welfare payments should not be paid direct to people to buy grog and drugs. It should be given to their landlords and food stores and petrol stations on their behalf.
I agree with that one hundred percent.
These users get their welfare and go out and buy a hit or grog with our hard earned money then come back asking Church organizations for food.
Its stupid and ought to be changed.

Nice to see you on OLO again
PS de criminalize drugs is the answer and shake off the dealers.

PALE “de criminalize drugs is the answer and shake off the dealers.”

In this Greek island, How did decriminalisation affect the numbers of addicts – did the number increase or decrease and is a proposal transferable from a small island (presumably of just a few hundred / thousand people) to the worlds largest island (with 20 million of people living on it)?

“shake off the dealers”

What does this actually mean and how was it achieved ?

"When opium was legal, a one in four addiction rate in China."

Twisting the facts again, Col? The opium problem in China was a result of prohibition, not legalisation. The problem occurred because the British Government was conducting an organised dope pedalling operation. Why? Because the Brits had little else that the Chinese wanted to trade, and prohibition made opium attractive as a commodity. Before prohibition the problem of addiction was small in comparison.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium

So Col, the truth is:

"When opium importation was illegal, a one in four addiction rate in China."

Logically, your opinion should change unless you hold another piece of evidence more highly. So what is the best piece of evidence for your opinion, Col?

Col

I would have thought by your posts you were a basically well informed person. However its possible that your question is sincere. Based on that assumption I will answer your questions as best I can.
Mind you I might be more forth coming if I used an alias as many do on OLO

Q
In this Greek island, How did decriminalisation affect the numbers of addicts

A. I don’t think they actually decriminalized that Island officially. They were too much of hurry for that and needed results quickly apparently for political reasons.
That is why they sought the assistance of the crooks in the first place. (They being police and pollies).

Q
did the number increase or decrease and is a proposal transferable from a small island (presumably of just a few hundred / thousand people) to the worlds largest island (with 20 million of people living on it)?
A
Decreased- stopped.

Q
and is a proposal transferable from a small island (presumably of just a few hundred / thousand people) to the worlds largest island (with 20 million of people living on it)?

A I don’t see why not. I suppose.

Remember however its pretty tough love so it would take a strong Government with the opposition onside as well to work. Who knows it might. Nothing else is working.

Q
“shake off the dealers”

What does this actually mean and how was it achieved ?

A. To remove anything from the black market takes away its value and ‘severely’ hurts the dealers and growers as well..

It would also hurt some people involved that have another reason for wanting drugs to be sold that is not necessarily about the profits. ( mind you they don’t mind taking the money either.)